From War Torn on the csn board. They NEED to make this happen.http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_20589718/c...ost_viewedUTEP AD on MWCHere is a small part of the interview. He thinks it will only happen if the 2 conferences (C-USA and MWC) can work out an agreement but he makes no secret on what he prefers.

"While UTEP is still a member of a C-USA that currently is slated to have 13 teams in 2013, presumably it could be shifted into a soon-to-be 10-team MWC without buyout fees."It's emerging as a different form," Stull said. "The presidents are meeting on an ongoing basis about membership, branding, TV, management, transition."Our position is to work towards creating a 24-team alliance with a championship football game, east-west divisions."Other cracks in the road are continuing to arise. ... I hope by this summer things will be a little clearer."As for if he sees UTEP competing in a division or conference with schools like New Mexico, Wyoming and UNLV, "That makes the most sense if things work out that way," Stull said. "That makes the most sense geographically and historically."

I'm not sure both happen, though. Of the two, JMU doesn't seem to be in the best spot, with WKU just waiting for a spot in the MAC and App. State actually providing evidence that they are really trying to upgrade to FBS. W&M takes a step down in both football and basketball were they to go to a Patriot that's only just starting to show signs of life (maybe they don't poach but get poached in return). And who knows...maybe the Patriot is really gunning for Richmond?

I'm not sure both happen, though. Of the two, JMU doesn't seem to be in the best spot, with WKU just waiting for a spot in the MAC and App. State actually providing evidence that they are really trying to upgrade to FBS. W&M takes a step down in both football and basketball were they to go to a Patriot that's only just starting to show signs of life (maybe they don't poach but get poached in return). And who knows...maybe the Patriot is really gunning for Richmond?

From seanbo on CUSA thread..."In case anyone is interested, 2011 FCS home attendance figures.1. Appalachian St. 183,479 (26,211) (rumored to be moving up soon)2. James Madison 125,010 (25,002) (rumored to be moving up soon)3. Montana 199,023 (24,878) (rumored to be moving up soon)4. Yale 118,648 (23,730)5. Jackson St. 138,996 (23,166)6. Old Dominion 138,726 (19,818) (CUSA)7. Delaware 114,111 (19,019) (rumored to be moving up soon)8. Florida A&M 74,985 (18,746)9. South Alabama 110,654 (18,442) (Sun Belt)10. North Dakota St. 163,284 (18,143)11. Ga. Southern 141,605 (17,701) (rumored to be moving up soon)12. Jacksonville 86,128 (17,226)13. Montana St. 119,499 (17,071) (rumored to be moving up soon)14. South Carolina St. 82,302 (16,460)15. Liberty 98,515 (16,419) (rumored to be moving up soon)

So how is JMU not ready but App St is? 1K extra in attendance makes a difference? Its still nearly 10K above WKU...

And BTW if W&M go to the Patriot its to save $ and have easier competition...the Patriot can't poach Richmond (A10) their fb could go in Big South or SoCon if the CAA became unsuitable. Besides Fordham fb (A10) who has already said they want to changes conferences, the only schools worth poaching from the Patriot are Georgetown (Big East) and possibly Holy Cross (who would just go to NEC) who would both have to want to raise scholarships for fb and title IX sports if they wanted to move up but neither have shown interest in the past.

_________________Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

I'm not sure both happen, though. Of the two, JMU doesn't seem to be in the best spot, with WKU just waiting for a spot in the MAC and App. State actually providing evidence that they are really trying to upgrade to FBS. W&M takes a step down in both football and basketball were they to go to a Patriot that's only just starting to show signs of life (maybe they don't poach but get poached in return). And who knows...maybe the Patriot is really gunning for Richmond?

From seanbo on CUSA thread..."In case anyone is interested, 2011 FCS home attendance figures.1. Appalachian St. 183,479 (26,211) (rumored to be moving up soon)2. James Madison 125,010 (25,002) (rumored to be moving up soon)3. Montana 199,023 (24,878) (rumored to be moving up soon)4. Yale 118,648 (23,730)5. Jackson St. 138,996 (23,166)6. Old Dominion 138,726 (19,818) (CUSA)7. Delaware 114,111 (19,019) (rumored to be moving up soon)8. Florida A&M 74,985 (18,746)9. South Alabama 110,654 (18,442) (Sun Belt)10. North Dakota St. 163,284 (18,143)11. Ga. Southern 141,605 (17,701) (rumored to be moving up soon)12. Jacksonville St. 86,128 (17,226)(rumored to be moving up soon)13. Montana St. 119,499 (17,071) (rumored to be moving up soon)14. South Carolina St. 82,302 (16,460)15. Liberty 98,515 (16,419) (rumored to be moving up soon)

So how is JMU not ready but App St is? 1K extra in attendance makes a difference? Its still nearly 10K above WKU...

And BTW if W&M go to the Patriot its to save $ and have easier competition...the Patriot can't poach Richmond (A10) their fb could go in Big South or SoCon if the CAA became unsuitable. Besides Fordham fb (A10) who has already said they want to changes conferences, the only schools worth poaching from the Patriot are Georgetown (Big East) and possibly Holy Cross (who would just go to NEC) who would both have to want to raise scholarships for fb and title IX sports if they wanted to move up but neither have shown interest in the past.

I think he meant JSU not Jacksonville

As for the Patriot, now that they are allowing schollies, Fordham seems happy and Richmond could go for fb only if they want.

As for the Patriot, now that they are allowing schollies, Fordham seems happy and Richmond could go for fb only if they want.

JSU not JMU I'm guessing is what you meant to type...that would be true JSU just started looking into FBS...

I thought I saw that Fordham was interested in the CAA, or was it the other way around...

And why would Richmond fb want to move to the Patriot when they are already very successful in one of the top league in the country? The Patriot would be a downgrade...

I don't think they would, I'm just saying they could if they want, now that they have schollies. I thought Fordham was okay w/ PL now. Dback can clear this up for us. On the FCS board the CAA options that keep coming(all sports no fb only like Fordham would be) are CCU, Liberty, Albany, Stony Brook. If they added 3 of those schools(12 full members), they'd have 11 fb so Fordham could slide in for 12.

James Madison has locale issues, much like Youngstown State. And I just haven't seen or heard the sort of logistics conversations for the Dukes that I've seen coming from programs like Appalachian State, Old Dominion, Villanova, Charlotte, and UMass. A big stadium isn't enough to warrant the suspicions, nor attendance figures.

For W&M, I think it has to be worth their while. Being the southernmost Patriot League school will get old fast if the Patriot doesn't get to the same footing as CAA, and I don't know if the Patriot is all that appealing when Georgetown is so flaky and the conference so strict on Fordham (I believe they are still banned from the conference title). It's tough to figure what the PL wants: all-sports or more associate members. I think that's a big identity issue. If W&M commits all sports to the Patriot, and then G-Town, Army, and Navy "peace-out," that won't bode well for the Tribe.

So it's not that I think both programs are out of the realignment conversation. They aren't. I think they both need more time to see how other factors unfold...in real-time and not hypotheticals.

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